


You Are My Escape

by Manateequeem



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hand Jobs, M/M, Post-Time Skip, Running Away
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-10-17 08:20:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20617904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manateequeem/pseuds/Manateequeem
Summary: “You make it sound like we’re planning on eloping together.”“I guess we kind of are.” Caspar held Linhardt’s hand in his own larger one, and despite the uncertainty which their futures held, Linhardt felt like he could escape from the harsh reality of war, even if it only lasted a moment.





	1. Future

**Author's Note:**

> hello! there will be (mildish) spoilers for chapters 13 and 14 of the crimson flower route, but that should be it :)

Edelgard so confidently promised a future in which there would be peace, justice, _freedom_, but Linhardt knew better than to blindly follow her lead like the rest of the Goddess forsaken army. He knew that her carefully constructed speeches claiming to “_create a better Fodlan"_ were no more than a facade for the terrifying truth that a future created by the Empress would not entail peaceful days spent under the warm embrace of the sunlight, and even if it did, the memory of the countless people who died for such a carefree future would not be so easily erased.

  
“Linhardt, are you feeling okay?” Linhardt could feel a calloused yet warm hand grasping tightly on his shoulder blade. He was sure that his bone was sticking out oddly after the battle which had just ensued, and was piercing sharply at the palm on his shoulder .

  
“I’m,” he hesitated, noting that it was Caspar who spoke to him, “not sure how I feel right now, if I’m perfectly honest.” He sighed, readjusting his position on the wooden log he was sat out, surrounding the hastily thrown together fire which the Black Eagle Strike Force surrounded.

  
He could hear Caspar hum as the other sat beside him, rubbing his hands together for warmth. “Neither do I,” Caspar laughed as Linhardt glanced down to see a shaky smile on his friend's face. “Ignatz wasn’t really a friend of mine back in the Academy days,” Caspar paused and Linhardt noted how his usually electric blue eyes looked dimmer in the darkness of night, “but watching him die like that, it was-"

  
“It was terrible. Pointless even.” Linhardt finished lamely, looking into the deep red hues of the crackling flames.

  
Caspar shook his head, “You can’t think like that, Lin.” He motioned at Dorothea, Petra, and Edelgard who stood among the others of their ragtag group. “We all joined this side for a reason, I’m sure of it. And so I think,” Caspar scratched the back of his neck and tried to flash a grin at Linhardt, “we’ve got to believe in Edelgard and the future she promises us.”

  
Linhardt found it funny really, how much Caspar could believe in promises which proved to be so fruitless and how he could fight so passionately for a dream which wasn’t even his own. And Linhardt also found it oddly amusing how Caspar could even insist that they all had a reason to side with Edelgard to begin with. He had made it clear from the beginning that he only stuck with the Empire as it would be the easiest route for him to take. But it was at times like these, huddled close together on the Great Bridge of Myrddin, which smelt all too much of blood and rotting corpses, that he considered that maybe this wasn’t the easiest way for him to live. And yet, sitting next to Caspar who so relentlessly wanted to believe, he couldn’t being himself to say anything.

  
He rested his head on Caspar's cold armoured shoulder, already feeling himself beginning to doze off, “I really do hope that Edelgard fulfils her promise to us, but until then,” his eyes began to droop, “I wouldn’t keep my hopes up.”

* * *

  
When Linhardt woke up the next day, miraculously placed in his own tent, he heard that the Imperial Army would begin their march to Derdriu. He yawned, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes as he stumbled over to their makeshift mess hall to grab something to eat. His eyes scanned the large tent to find any trace of his boisterous friend, but was only met by the gaze of Ferdinand, who waved him over. Linhardt didn’t dislike Ferdinand per say, he just wasn’t entirely sure if it was a good idea for him, in his sleep deficient and moody morning attitude, to deal with perhaps the most eccentric and high maintenance member of the army.  
“Good morning Linhardt, nice to see you decided to join us.” Ferdinand smiled at the scholar who only narrowed his eyes slightly in return, muttering a half hearted greeting as he bit into his sweet bun. Ferdinand decided to fill the silence which the other was perfectly comfortable with, “I’m sure you’ve heard we will be marching to Derdriu next. A bold move on Edelgard's behalf, I must say.”

  
This piqued Linhardt’s interest, “Do you agree with the way she is going about this?” He clarified his words, “In her reconstruction of this nation she seems to be killing more than those who she will be pleasing.” He was reminded by the sheer amount of blood and death he was faced by just the day before.

  
Ferdinand furrowed his brows, “I cannot say I agree at all with what she is doing.” He looked down at his now empty plate, “My father, he was by no means a good man, but she stripped him of his title. I’m sure you know that for a noble, a title is all they really pride themselves on.”

  
Linhardt couldn’t relate but the hummed, motioning for Ferdinand to continue anyway. “Arguably, she has taken everything which I held dear away, taken my nobility away from me. But at heart,” he slammed his chest, “I am a noble through and through, and I know that it is my duty to stand by the Empress and the Empire, no matter how she seeks to achieve her goals.”

  
Linhardt could not understand where Ferdinand was coming from at all. He didn’t feel a sense of duty to the Empire. He barely felt like a noble to begin with, constantly being mocked for his laziness or his straight forward way of speaking. Edelgard also threatened his own dreams of becoming a Crest scholar, as she aimed to eradicate the power held by Crests. And yet, despite all this, he chose to stay, to do nothing and continue fighting for a regime he barely believed in.

  
“I heard we’re going to the Monastery first, before Derdriu.” Dorothea- who he had no clue was beside him- chipped in.

* * *

  
He clenched and unclenched his fists into his rough and hardened bedsheets, looking for anything to distract him from the impending battle which was to follow. He found himself getting less and less sleep, talking to others far more infrequently than usual and he felt a familiar nausea reach his throat whenever he thought of how many he would murder at this battle. Perhaps he would end the lives of more of this unfortunate classmates.  
He took in a deep breath, listening to Caspar pacing about his room. “Clenching your fists like that isn’t going to get you anywhere, Lin.” Caspar sighed, frowning at his sullen friend.  
“And pacing around the room like a maniac isn’t going to help anything either.” Linhardt retorted in a tired voice. His voice was always tired these days, even more so than in his lazy teenage years.

  
“Point taken,” he heard Caspar grumble and sit down on his bed, tapping his foot to the ground restlessly. “I’m so impatient! I just want to get out there now!”

  
Linhardt rolled over to face Caspar, “Funny, I’m the exact opposite, I hope the day never comes that we have to set foot on another cursed battlefield.”

  
“You’ve always been like that, you’d do just about anything to stay out of a fight,” he chuckled, eyes glinting with mischief, “remember that time you tried to get me to break your arm to get out of training with the Professor.”

  
“Hm,” Linhardt felt a smile grace his own face, “probably one of my less bright ideas- a product of sleep deprivation. Not to mention the absolute lack of a help you were, not even following through.” He could feel cool fingertips weaving into green strands and he melted into the touch. “Caspar?” he said after a few moments.

  
“Yeah?” Caspar had now lifted his own legs up onto the bed, crossing them as he gently lifted Linhardt’s head into his lap and continued to massage his friend’s scalp. Well, he wasn’t sure he could really define their relationship as a mere friendship, but war didn’t give him much time to contemplate the meaning of what they shared between them. He could think about that later.

  
“When Flayn left, to join the Church,”

  
“Five years ago?” Caspar interrupted.

  
Linhardt nodded, “Yes,” he continued, eyelids still glued shut, “if I left with her, how different do you think things would have been?”

  
“Well,” Caspar didn’t want to imagine a life without Linhardt, “for starters, we wouldn’t be together like we are now. We would be on opposite sides of the war.” Linhardt now opened his eyes, dark blue connecting with eyes the colour of the sky.

  
“Would you not come with me?”

  
Caspar reconsidered his answer, tangling his fingers deeper into green locks, spreading the hair about on his legs, “If you asked me, I think,” Caspar swallowed, diverting his gaze, “I think I would go anywhere with you.”

  
“How romantic,” Linhardt chuckled, reaching up to poke at Caspar's flushed cheek, who swatted his pale hand away. “But in all seriousness, would you not stay with Edelgard and the others? You talked about wanting to believe in what she promised.”

  
Caspar nodded, “I do want to believe in what she promises, but at the cost of losing you,” he reconnected their eye contact, _shattering_ a part of Linhardt as he noticed how intense the other was in the dim candlelight, “I don’t think that anything Edelgard could promise would be worth more than you, so" he smiled softly- or as softly as Caspar could possibly manage, “let’s both survive this thing."

  
Linhardt smiled too, pulling Caspar down into an awkwardly angled hug, practically bending the other in half and yawning as soon as they parted. “I do think I should be getting some rest in now,” he moved to the side of the bed, patting the spot next to him and motioning for Caspar to lay beside him, “Goodnight Caspar, thank you.”

* * *

The battle at Derdriu was gruesome, with death after death, not one soldier being spared. And of course, that included Claude. The Academy's charismatic schemer, who welcomed everyone with a charming smile, the Leader of the Leicester Alliance, now nothing more than a bloodied corpse, slaughtered at the hand of his own trusted Professor at the order of Edelgard. He _could have been spared, he could have been spared, he could have been spared._ This repeated over and over in Linhardt's mind as he watched the Professor show no trace of emotion at Claude's senseless death at their own hands. Edelgard too, she claimed it was necessary.

  
“You didn’t have to kill him.” Linhardt urged, pushing past Hubert who stood before Edelgard.

  
“Linhardt, you don’t understand, he could have posed a threat to our cause in-"

  
Linhardt cut the Empress off, “Don’t call this mindless murder ‘_our_' cause, if I could help it, I would have nothing to do with any of it.” He continued to speak without even thinking, “You kill, you steal futures away all in search of your own storybook ending which you dream of, but you don’t realise how many you risk just to reach that conclusion!” He felt himself growing uncharacteristically angry.

  
“Linhardt, watch how you speak to Her Majesty.” Hubert barked, icy gaze boring a hole into Linhardt's skull.

  
“Oh, so now you will try to censor the public too?” he scoffed, “You are no better than the Church, Edelgard. You selfishly reach for your own future, discarding if anyone who gets in the way of your dictatorial reign. You’ve already brainwashed the poor Professor, but I will not let you take the honour of brainwashing me too!” He knew that he had to calm down, that if he didn’t he would be in _serious trouble_, but he couldn’t stop himself.

  
He heard footsteps approach from behind him and several pairs of hands holding him back. “I am apologising, Edelgard, I am thinking that Linhardt simply needs to rest, and is taking his frustration out on you.” Petra spoke from beside Linhardt, bowing low.

  
Edelgard's mouth was set in a straight line, “You speak of me being the selfish one who reaches out for my own future, but you are no better, Linhardt. You are selfish too, selfish in your own cowardice, how you refuse to fight for what you believe in. That will be your own undoing. Claude had to die, I will not go back on my word.” And with that, Edelgard stalked away gracefully, Hubert and Byleth following her loyally.

  
As soon as they were out of earshot the rest of his previous classmates spun him around, “What were you _thinking_, speaking to Edie that way?” Dorothea frowned deeply as she questioned Linhardt.

  
“I-I really think you should get some rest, I’m s-sure that was just the battle taking its toll on you.” Bernadetta tried to add helpfully.

  
But Linhardt wasn’t listening, he was replaying Claude's death and the feelings of _intense anger_ which he felt as well as the words Edelgard had told him. She was right, he was a coward, he did run from what he was afraid to escape.

  
“I’ll take him back to his tent.” Caspar grabbed Linhardt by the wrist and dragged him away from the others, only stopping to look at Linhardt when they reached a secluded forest near where they were setting up camp.

  
“_What was that?_” he asked softly, still keeping a firm hold on Linhardt's wrist.

  
“I _can’t_ stay here anymore.” Linhardt shook his head.

  
“What?” Caspar's voice rose, as it often did when the two were younger, “You want to join the Church?”

  
Linhardt shook his head, “I don’t want to fight for anyone, I never have.” He looked deeply into Caspar's worried eyes, “I want to run away from this war. And if that makes me a coward like she says I am,_ I don’t care_. I would be a bigger coward if I stayed here for convenience’s sake.” He lifted his hand and rested it on Caspar's cheek tentatively. “You don't have to come with me,” he looked down at the floor, frowning at the bloodstains from the previous battle, “I just want you to let me go.”

  
“You’re ridiculous!” Caspar shouted, and Linhardt's eyes widened at that. “Why did you ever fight in this war to begin with?”

  
Linhardt could only shrug.

  
“You didn’t have to do any of this, get any blood on your hands.”

  
“I know that, but-" Linhardt was cut off.

  
“Let me finish,” he clenched his grasp around Linhardt’s wrist, “I won’t let you go,”

  
“I can’t stay, I can’t keep fighting, Caspar.” Linhardt was smiling gently.

  
“I’m coming with you.” Caspar had a resolve to his judgement, he seemed certain in what he was saying. “I told you back in the Monastery, that I would stay by your side. It isn’t any different now. I don’t wanna believe in Edeelgard's future if it doesn’t involve you, Linhardt.” He laughed, “_Let’s run away together.”_

  
“You make it sound like we’re planning on eloping together.”

  
“I guess we kind of are.” Caspar held Linhardt’s hand in his own larger one, and despite the uncertainty which their futures held, Linhardt felt like he could escape from the harsh reality of war, even if it only lasted a moment.


	2. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caspar still looked upset, but slightly less so, so Linhardt took the executive decision to pull him down to lay on the bed. He really was far too tired to deal with any of this.
> 
> “L-Linhardt, my bed's over there,” Caspar spluttered in the dark room, red face going unnoticed as Linhardt snuggled closer to him, eyes peacefully closed.
> 
> “Surely it’s better for us to conserve warmth this way. It is awfully cold outside and I’m a hundred times more comfortable with you here, so hush.” Linhardt murmured as he pulled the covers above them both and nestled his head into the crevice of Caspar's neck. “It’s no different,” he yawned, “to when we were kids.” That’s what he would tell himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (rating changes this chapter oops thank u that was my ted talk)

Linhardt liked to think of himself as a meticulous planner when it was regarding something which he cared about, even if he could come off as lazy as uncaring to many people. However, as he and Caspar hastily piled food supplies and spare clothes into their small satchels, as well as their own individual sleeping bags and the limited amount of money they brought from their respective houses, he found himself at a loss for what to do next.

  
“Should we get going then?” Caspar attempted to whisper in a hushed tone as he adjusted the straps of the bag on his back. He was carrying substantially more than Linhardt could manage, with his skinnier, albeit taller, frame being unable to support the same amount of weight as Caspar’s.

  
“I suppose we shall,” Linhardt murmured, more to himself than to anyone else. He was mentally steeling himself to finally take action of his own will, for possibly the first time in his short life. Caspar noticed how Linhardt winced as he secured the bag on his back.

  
“Do you want me to carry your bag, your shoulder hasn’t healed fully yet, has it?” Caspar frowned at his friend who was clearly struggling.

  
“As much as I’d love to do as little as possible, Caspar,” Linhardt opened the door of his room out into the crisp night air, shivering lightly as the cool breeze slipped under his sleeves, “I don’t want to be a burden to you. At least not yet, anyway.”

  
Caspar didn’t seem to understand where Linhardt was coming from, but nodded anyway, handing a thick beige cloak for his friend to wear.

  
“Thank you.” Linhardt spoke softly as the two silently marched towards the now unattended gates, every step closer to freedom from fighting in this war. He felt Caspar step in line beside him, a calloused hand finding his own softer palm and intertwining their fingers together firmly.

  
“Linhardt, a-and,” Bernadetta’s gentle voice echoed in the twilight silence behind the pair, “Caspar? Where are you two going?” 

  
“Berna-" Caspar began, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to find a way to cover up their escape from the Imperial sniper, before being cut off by Linhardt who held his hand even tighter.

  
“We’re escaping this place.” His voice didn’t shake, it didn’t quiver, he spoke like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and yet Caspar could feel his sweaty palms shake uneasily in his own grip. “You’re free to join us, Bernadetta.”

  
Bernadetta looked down at her feet, “I’m not going to abandon Edelgard's cause. She gave me a place to stay, a sanctuary away from... my father.” She peered up again at the two, eyes full of determination, “But I won’t stop you both from going.” The usually panicked girl sighed as she released the anxiety she was holding in. “I could tell you wanted to leave for a while now, Linhardt. I’m glad we both found a bit of courage to fight for what we believe in.”

  
“I-" Linhardt smiled softly at his old classmate, “Thank you, Bernadetta.” She pulled the two of them into a tight hug before watching as they passed the threshold of the gates, Caspar only looking back once, before they were finally out of sight, having successfully escaped.

* * *

  
The somber moonlight illuminated their path as they began their slow march towards the nearest town to spend the night.

  
“So, where are we headed?” Caspar broke the silence which had encapsulated the two since they had left an hour ago. If Linhardt was perfectly honest, he had _no clue_ where he planned on taking the two after they had left the Empire's ranks. He sure as hell didn’t want to join the Kingdom or the Alliance armies, and the Church was simply out of the question. He wanted to avoid fighting all together, but he wondered if he was holding back Caspar in any way, acutely aware of how the other was so passionate about recklessly swinging out his axe.

  
Caspar took the lack of a response as a welcome to continue speaking, “We could always return to our houses-" he scratched his head with the hand which wasn’t wrapped around Linhardt's, “actually, no, our fathers are with the Empire aren’t they?”

  
“Yes,” Linhardt sighed. Caspar was correct, returning to their houses would be impossible, given the current state of affairs, “perhaps we could simply meander about, at least until this war is over.”

  
Caspar hummed, “Like, travelling?” He then paused for a moment, corners of his lips pulling down into a frown. “I want to do something to help everyone who's been caught up in this war.”

  
Linhardt turned his head to look at Caspar, whose eyes were glowing with sincerity. “I don’t want to run and just abandon everyone who’s, you know,” he struggled to articulate his thoughts, before finally concluding on, “got the short end of the stick in this war.”

  
“Do you regret leaving the Imperial army?” Linhardt asked, unable to maintain eye contact as they walked.

  
Caspar squeezed his hand tighter, “Of course not!” he almost shouted, “You got me thinking about how she’s killing so many innocents for her dream, and I,” his voice lowered, “I was so blind to it. And I would never leave you."

  
“We can help the villages which war has tormented.” Linhardt spoke confidently, before muffling the end of his statement with a yawn, “As soon as we find a village to stay the night in, that is.”

* * *

  
Linhardt flopped down unceremoniously on one of the beds in their shared room. They had reached an inn at the Goddess forsaken hour of 5 a.m. and Linhardt was absolutely exhausted. Caspar chuckled, easing the bag off his friend's back and placing it on the ground near the bed.

“Come on bud, you should probably eat something before going to sleep."

  
Linhardt grumbled into the bedsheets, “We won’t be able to afford a nice inn like this everyday, so at least let me enjoy this.”

  
“Suit yourself.” Caspar sighed, restlessly tapping his foot on the ground while he reached into his own bag and pulled out a small roll, taking a bite. “I heard some bandits have been ravishing this village every few weeks in the panic of the war.” He chewed a piece of bread, “I’m gonna do something about it.”

  
Linhardt hummed, “I can help heal some people.” His words slurred slightly at the end of his sentence as he felt himself falling into a sweet slumber.

  
“Do you think everyone's noticed we’ve gone?” Caspar asked softly, fingers resting on Linhardt's softer knuckles. The scholar cracked open one eyelid slightly, noting the pained expression on Caspar's face.

  
“Even if they have, they won’t go looking for us. There have been a handful of high ranking deserters already.” Linhardt referred to Felix and Sylvain who, initially siding with the Empire, had fled back to the Kingdom, by Dimitri's side, a few months back. “Besides, I’m sure Bernadetta will try to cover for us, to bide us time to leave the vicinity of the Monastery.”

  
Caspar still looked upset, but slightly less so, so Linhardt took the executive decision to pull him down to lay on the bed. He really was far too tired to deal with any of this.

  
“L-Linhardt, my bed's over there,” Caspar spluttered in the dark room, red face going unnoticed as Linhardt snuggled closer to him, eyes peacefully closed.

  
“Surely it’s better for us to conserve warmth this way. It is awfully cold outside and I’m a hundred times more comfortable with you here, so hush.” Linhardt murmured as he pulled the covers above them both and nestled his head into the crevice of Caspar's neck. “It’s no different,” he yawned, “to when we were kids.” That’s what he would tell himself.

  
Caspar huffed, flush going down as he turned and wrapped his arms around Linhardt’s slim frame, “It’s _definitely_ not the same thing.” He grumbled, breath hitching at the feeling of Linhardt's soft hairs brushing against his arm.

  
“Mm,” Linhardt laughed softly, “I know.” His eyelids fluttered open as he made eye contact with Caspar, “I’m glad you came with me.”

  
Caspar didn't know how much more of this he could take, “All right, all right. Let’s get some shut eye now.”

* * *

  
“We might have to camp out tonight.” Linhardt peered down at his map, noting that the walk was taking twice as long as they had originally intended to reach the next village, closer to Alliance territory, or Empire territory, he supposed. They had taken care of the bandits in the village after two nights of tiresome stakeouts, and while the village insisted that their ‘heroes' stayed another night, it was too risky to stay put so close to the Monastery.

  
Caspar groaned, “That means you’re gonna complain twice as much as usual.” He had a glint of mischief in his sky blue eyes.

  
“Well, you’re not wrong.” Linhardt chuckled as he admired the serene reflection of the setting sun on the river they walked beside. They were taking the more scenic route, away from any well travelled paths, not wanting an awkward run in with any of their old classmates, so they hadn’t ran into anyone else all day. He dropped his bag to the ground with a heavy plod, “Let’s set up camp here for tonight.”

  
“I’ll set up the tent then.” Caspar pulled out the small tent and tent poles from his bag, diligently forming their sanctuary for the night.

  
Linhardt grimaced, feeling sticky under his thick, heavy robes, and despite the cool Winter air, he felt uncomfortably hot. “I’m going to bathe in the river.”

  
“Now?” Caspar asked, not making eye contact as he was focused on hammering the tent pins down.

  
“Not yet,” Linhardt yawned, settling beside his friend, “when it gets dark. Probably in half an hour.” He placed his sleeping bag flat on the grass, “Until then, good night.”

* * *

  
When Caspar finished setting up the tent, he sighed and pulled Linhardt's sleeping form inside, supposing he would simply bathe when he woke up, and he went to sleep in his own sleeping bag beside his friend.

  
He got up a few hours later, feeling an emptiness in the tent, and he crawled through the beige flap into the crisp night air, starting towards the river.

  
Linhardt was submerged in the river, the flowing water reaching just beneath his shoulders, showing a strip of pale skin, which glowed ethereally in the moonlight. His long emerald hair pooled around him, like the green grass he slept on just hours before, and his navy eyes were half lidded in sleep deprivation. Caspar's cheeks erupted in a red flush as he urged himself to look away.

  
“Caspar, is that you?” he heard coming from the water, and he forced his flush away before responding.

  
“Yeah, I was just wondering where you went.” He stumbled on his words, “It’s okay though, I’ve found you, so I’ll just,” he coughed into his hand, “go back to the tent.”

  
“Join me? I’m sure you’re in need of a good clean yourself.” Linhardt asked so easily, seemingly unaware of Caspar's tormented mind. He couldn’t find it in himself to refuse and internally damned the hold Linhardt had over him.

  
“Uh, sure.” He replied awkwardly. He didn’t know why he was reacting in the way he was! He'd seen Linhardt bathing in a river more than enough times during the Academy days, when their class was given overnight assignments, but this time, without the constant bickering of Hubert and Ferdinand and Professor Byleth's chiding, it felt so much more...intimate. It was like how sleeping beside Linhardt the other night wasn’t the same as when they were kids. He pulled his armour off, letting it clank to the ground until he was just in his small clothes and he stepped into the river, shuddering at the cold water against his feet. He noticed how Linhardt's eyes never strayed from his form, as he inched closer to his friend, settling across from the other. He submerged his head beneath the cool water, shaking his light blue locks as he emerged.

  
“Are you not going to dunk your head under?” He looked to Linhardt whose head was still dry, save from the tips of his hair.

  
“I hate this part, my hair sticks to my face so uncomfortably.” He sighed.

  
Caspar chuckled, feeling the tension leave his bones, dunking Linhardt's head underwater and getting a playful splash to the face in return.

  
“I hate you.” Linhardt huffed, green strands now sticking to his forehead and cheeks, but he spoke with a smile, one which Caspar hadn’t seen for a while, since before the war.

  
“Nah, you love me.” Caspar laughed, pulling Linhardt into a playful side hug. He froze when he felt Linhardt's arms weave around him, clutching his bare shoulders as he held him tight, breath ghosting against Caspar's neck.

  
“That,” he spoke, not breaking his grasp on Caspar, “might be true.”

  
Caspar's mind was working in overdrive, feelings and emotions overwhelming him as he had a sensory overload of Linhardt's hands, his arms, his hair, his breath, _Linhardt_, on his bare skin. And he had just registered the intention behind Linhardt’s words, and he couldn’t stop himself from carefully pushing the other away.

  
Linhardt looked confused, before Caspar gently (as gently as Caspar could manage) held his chin and captured his lips in a kiss. It didn’t last very long, and was simply a press of lips against lips, but both felt their heart rates increase exponentially and dusts of pink covered their cheeks. Linhardt leaned in this time, kissing Caspar languidly, tracing his hands across rough scars on Caspar’s back. Caspar deepened the kiss, tongue tracing along Linhardt’s bottom lip, and when the scholar opened his mouth, Caspar hungrily explored this warm mouth, eliciting a soft moan from the other.

  
“Caspar,” he whispered into the other’s mouth, “you don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do this.” He spoke in between kisses.

  
“I think I can imagine.” Caspar replied, moving down to place open mothed kisses on Linhardt’s neck, who happily obliged, stretching his neck to create more room for Caspar. He tangled his fingers into wet blue hair, sighing as Caspar’s fingers rubbed circles around his waist.

  
His breath hitched as Caspar’s knee rubbed against him under the water, and he whined as Caspar’s palm ghosted over him. “Caspar, _please_-“ he panted. Caspar kissed Linhardt more hungrily as he continued to pleasure him, feeling small whines released against his mouth.

  
“You’re so gorgeous, Lin.” Caspar spoke softly against Linhardt’s neck, feeling the other’s quickened pulse as he slowly felt the other. “So beautiful.”

  
Linhardt simply wrapped his arms around Caspar’s neck as he softly whined into the other’s hair. He keened as Caspar’s hand slipped beneath his small clothes, his other palm lovingly stroking his flushed cheek. He grasped Linhardt into his rough palm, feeling the other shake with pleasure. “_Caspar, oh Caspar,”_ the grip in his hair grew tighter, “_I need more_-“

  
He was cut off by Caspar’s mouth silencing him, and the quicker movements of the brawler’s wrist, provoking more broken moans from him. He returned the favour, pressing his bare knee into Caspar, and earning a grunt in return.

  
“_Lin,_” Caspar murmured against the other’s cheeks, as they both began panting faster and faster. Linhardt held Caspar in his hand and moved at a torturously slow pace, revelling in Caspar’s needy moans.

  
His movements became quicker and more erratic, as Caspar also increased his pace, whispering words of encouragement into Linhardt’s cool skin as the other let out breathy whimpers. “I’m almost there, Caspar,” he spoke into the other’s wet shoulder.

  
“So am I.” He replied with a shaky voice. Linhardt finished first, moaning loudly into Caspar’s shoulder, and Caspar followed shortly after, leaning his head against the slumped, taller man’s skull.

  
When they both recovered, holding each other in their arms, Linhardt spoke, “I think we need to bathe again.” Caspar chuckled as he rubbed small circles into his friend’s, (his lover’s?) back.

* * *

  
Caspar held Linhardt close as he whispered into his hair, “I love you.”

  
“I thought we established that earlier.” Linhardt yawned, hair still wet as he shuffled closer to Caspar in their now joined sleeping bags.

  
“I wanted to say it though.” Caspar retorted, feeling proud of himself.

  
“Oh,” Linhardt looked up at Caspar, “in that case, if it wasn’t already obvious, I love you too.” A happy smile graced Caspar’s face, “I can’t believe that took us so long.” He sighed.

  
“What, admitting our feelings?” Caspar asked.

  
Linhardt paused to think, “All of it.” Caspar blushed, seeing what Linhardt was referring to.

  
When they fell asleep that night, long limbs tangled with slightly shorter ones, Linhardt found it easier to forget about all of the death and destruction which imminently surrounded them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the real mvps are their bags carrying all their shit bc honestly how are they fitting a whole tent into their bags idk
> 
> thank u for reading this chapter! id really appreciate any comments, they make my day!


	3. Embrace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Good, if anything, I’m holding you back, still dragging you into battles.” Caspar chuckled.
> 
> Linhardt laughed too, “Yes, well, I suppose some things never change.” 
> 
> Caspar kissed Linhardt chastely as the sun began to rise, cherishing the way delicate palms reached up to hold his face so carefully, “Some things definitely do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did i write 2 chapters in one day?  
maybe
> 
> i regret nothing

Waking up the next day in someone else’s warm arms, Linhardt thought, would be rather pleasant. Even if said person snored loudly and had a habit of tossing and turning restlessly, just as restlessly as they moved in their waking hours, in their sleep. However, it was still early, perhaps just before dawn, if the dull light entering their tent was anything to go off, and Linhardt found himself jostled awake by Caspar’s movements.

  
“Caspar?” he grumbled as he rubbed his eyelids drearily.

  
“Oh, sorry,” Caspar grinned sheepishly as he dug through his bag, making an awful lot of noise as he did so, “I was just looking for something.”

  
“Hm,” Linhardt hummed, pulling himself into a sitting position, using Caspar as leverage, “what’re you looking for?” he slurred sleepily, resting his chin on Caspar’s shoulder.

  
“I wanted to watch the sunrise with you, so I was looking for a blanket or something I could use, but-“ he trailed off, feeling Linhardt’s huff of breath on his neck.

  
“So you planned on waking me up at this ungodly hour, how typical.” he chided.

  
“I wasn’t going to wake you up immediately!” Caspar retorted.

  
“I’m just jesting,” Linhardt chuckled, long arms wrapping around Caspar’s front as he hugged him closer, his chest flush against Caspar’s back. He wasn’t sure what boundaries the two had between them anymore, so he was testing the waters, and his daringness was gratified by a light blush coating Caspar’s cheeks. “Surely you can’t be blushing at such an innocent motion, especially after-“

  
“Shut up, I’m not used to this,” Caspar made a strange strangled noise, “requited lovey-dovey stuff. You know, something meaningful.” He finished lamely, turning to face his childhood friend.

  
“Where did you learn such long words?” Linhardt laughed placing a light kiss on Caspar’s cheek, feeling himself wake up.

  
“From you, probably.” Caspar smiled, grasping Linhardt’s hand into his own and standing up, “C’mon, lets go outside or we’ll miss the sunrise.”

  
“Are we not going to take anything out to lay on?” Linhardt asked as they exited their tent, settling on a soft patch of grass.

  
“You can lay on me, if it bothers you so much.” Caspar plopped to the ground, stretching his arms up and folding one behind his head, the other beckoning Linhardt to lay his head on his shoulder, to which the other happily obliged.

  
They reclined in comfortable silence for some moments, simply enjoying each other’s company and waiting for the gentle glow of the morning sun to appear. Caspar slowly brushed his fingers through still messy from sleep green hair, as Linhardt picked at the grass beneath him.

  
“You know,” Caspar began, breaking the silence like he always did, “I never really pictured myself being here.”

  
“Well, I didn’t particularly think I would be laying in a patch of grass before sunrise, but the universe has a funny way of working, I suppose.” Linhardt spoke in a matter of fact tone.

  
“No, what I mean is that I never really thought that I would abandon battle to be,” the hand stoking Linhardt’s head slowed, “to be with someone I loved.” He heard Linhardt hum to signify that he was still listening, “But I’m glad. You showed me that there doesn’t have to be so much bloodshed.”

  
“I don’t know if you can really say that.” Linhardt spoke sadly. “I just ran away from all of the bloodshed, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t still happening. Someone we know probably died as we speak.”

  
“Even so,” Caspar wanted to be hopeful, “I don’t wanna be part of that! Besides, I still get to swing my axe at bad guys, so,” he wasn’t sure how to finish, “don’t feel like you’ve held me back. Because you haven’t.”

  
Linhardt sighed, “I know that.”

  
“Good, if anything, I’m holding you back, still dragging you into battles.” Caspar chuckled.

  
Linhardt laughed too, “Yes, well, I suppose some things never change.”

  
Caspar kissed Linhardt chastely as the sun began to rise, cherishing the way delicate palms reached up to hold his face so carefully, “Some things _definitely_ do.”

* * *

  
“What did you get us?” Linhardt asked, peeking up from the book he was reading. He could only fit four or five books in his satchel, and he sadly noted that he was almost at the end of his third one.

  
Caspar looked down into the brown paper bag he was holding, “Some meat rolls? I think?” He shrugged his shoulders before throwing one of the curious rolls at Linhardt, who struggled to catch the food, sighing in relief that he didn’t drop it. “The guy at the stall didn’t really specify what was in it, and I kinda rushed back, so bottoms up, I guess!” Caspar happily announced as he held his lunch in the air, mimicking a cheers motion, before taking a bite.

  
“I think that’s what people commonly do when they drink,” Linhardt shut his book as he leaned his back more comfortably against the tree he was sat against, “not for peculiar and perhaps poisonous buns.”

  
“It isn’t that bad!” Caspar said, despite the way his face scrunched up after swallowing the bite.

  
“Your face says otherwise,” Linhardt eyed the bun curiously, before taking a small bite. It tasted an awful lit like Duscar bear, which he wasn’t a fan of. “It’s at times like these that I regret having left the Monastery. At least the food was half decent.” He sighed, instead of eating opting to lean his head on Caspar’s firm shoulder, passing his lunch over to his friend.

  
“You not gonna eat that?” Caspar spoke, crumbs around his mouth. He would really eat just about anything.

  
“No, I’d rather starve.” Linhardt joked as the corners of his mouth quirked upwards.

  
“Well,” Caspar dug into the brown bag again, “I feared something like this would happen,” he revealed three sweet buns, “these were meant to be desert, but I think you’ll be filled up on just these.”

  
Linhardt smiled at Caspar, “Thank you.” He pecked the other on the cheek as he took a sweet bun from Caspar’s hand, biting into the doughy pastry.

  
The two ate in silence together, before infrequent droplets of rain began to patter onto the floor and soft rumbles could be heard approaching. “Should we go back to the inn?” Linhardt asked, before noticing the way Caspar had frozen. “Caspar, are you okay?”

  
“Wh- oh, I’m fine, perfectly fine!” Caspar spoke, tumbling over his words. He was clearly not perfectly fine.

  
Linhardt had a lightbulb moment, a sly smile appearing on his face, “Don’t tell me you’re still afraid of thunder.”

  
“Of course I’m no-“ Caspar jumped, practically holding onto Linhardt for dear life as there was a flash of lightning and the sky groaned. “_Okay, fine, yes, I still don’t like thunder!” _

  
Linhardt found that oddly endearing, and thought that he could tease Caspar later, instead focusing on leading the other into their inn. “Come, let’s go back inside.” He took Caspar by the hand, pulling his own cloak above both of their heads, covering the two of them the best he could, as Caspar held their lunch in his free hand. “Funny how such a fearsome warrior is afraid of loud noises. A rather noisy warrior, at that.”

  
“I’m not scared, I’d just rather not be outside in this weather!” Caspar was blushing heavily wit embarrassment, as his hand tightened around Linhardt’s whenever there was a particularly large crash of thunder.

  
“It’s okay, Caspar. _I’ll_ protect you.” Linhardt laughed, mocking Caspar’s tone of voice, before yawning drowsily. Caspar found himself laughing at that too, finding his fear dissipating as he spoke to his friend.

* * *

  
Caspar was laying awake on their shared bed of the inn they were staying at. He couldn’t stop replaying the events of earlier that day. They had arrived at the outskirts of a small town which had been under Imperial occupation, but when they got there, they were welcomed by the sight of a massacre. The remaining townsfolk told them that the Imperial soldiers had slain anyone who could be seen as a Church sympathiser. Caspar was sure that this was not by Edelgard’s order, but instead likely by some noble who thought that this would help establish themselves further to Edelgard, fearing for their position in her new regime. And yet, he couldn’t stop the familiar weight of guilt bubbling within his chest, _if only he got there a day earlier, if only he spent one less day lazing about in a safe town with Linhardt, if only he wasn’t so selfish_, he could have saved someone’s life. He released a shaky sigh, realising what an impact this war had on people first hand.

  
He felt the pressure beside him shift slightly, feeling a warm hand snake around his waist to find his own palm, “Caspar?” a familiar sleepy voice drawled out.

  
“L-Linhardt,” he spoke uncertainly, and felt the soft hand around his own reach up to touch his damp cheek.

  
“Are you crying?” Linhardt sounded more awake now, leaning over Caspar’s back to gaze at the other’s face. He wiped the tears from his face.

  
“I keep thinking,” Caspar began, turning to face Linhardt, “_I could have saved them_.”

  
“That may be so,” Linhardt spoke honestly, tracing around the features on Caspar’s face, “but there isn’t any point thinking like that.”

  
“I know you’re right, but-“

  
“There are people being killed everywhere, it’s the sad truth. I wish we could be there to do something, anything, to stop it, but we can’t. All we can do is help when we can, and hope that this damned war ends soon.” Linhardt spoke bluntly, but somehow this eased Caspar’s mind.

  
Caspar wrapped his arms around Linhardt, breathing in his scent and feeling himself relax. He felt soft lips press against his throat. “_Lin_-“

  
“Let me take care of you,” Linhardt murmured against his skin, “at least this one time.” Caspar gulped, nodding.

  
He felt the same mouth press wet kisses down his neck, hand rubbing circles into the small gap of exposed skin from where Caspar’s nightshirt had ridden up. Linhardt lifted his face to meet Caspar’s lips in a slow, languid kiss. He then pulled Caspar into a tight embrace, placing his chin above Caspar’s sky blue head, slowly rubbing Caspar’s back.

  
“I’m tired.” Caspar spoke into Linhardt’s shoulder.

  
“You’re beginning to take after me.” Linhardt laughed softly as he eased Caspar to sleep.

* * *

  
They were reaching closer to Faerghus territory when they found Sylvain and Felix on the road.

  
“Sylvain?” Caspar had been the one to call out to their old allies, “And Felix?” He waved the two over as they hesitantly approached.

  
“Caspar and Linhardt? What brings you two to Faerghus?” Sylvain asked amicably, but Linhardt watched the way he clutched his lance tighter and how Felix was prepared to draw his sword.

  
“Relax,” Linhardt began, “we’ve abandoned the Empire.” He held up his hands as surrender, and elbowed Caspar to motion for the other to do the same.

  
“Yeah, we ditched that place!” Caspar announced victoriously.

  
Sylvain chuckled, shoulders releasing tension, “For some reason, I feel like I can trust you guys.” He smiled at Caspar, “I sure as hell know that Caspar wouldn’t be able to lie about not being an Empire spy.”

  
Caspar was about to retort, before Felix interrupted, “Enough chit-chat, why are you both in Faerghus?” It came out as more of a statement than a question, and reminded Linhardt of what a pain Felix could be.

  
“As we just said, we escaped the Empire, and have been travelling ever since.” Linhardt clarified with a yawn.

  
“Oh, so are you looking to join the Kingdom?” Sylvain asked.

  
Linhardt and Caspar both shook their heads, “We’re not fighting anymore, well, not in this war, at least.” Caspar nodded enthusiastically as Linhardt spoke.

  
“I’m not surprised about you leaving battle,” Felix directed his pointed glare at Linhardt and then at Caspar, “but I never expected that he would forfeit fighting.” Caspar looked at his old training partner with a sigh.

  
“Enough about this!” Caspar suddenly burst out, feeling Linhardt grow more uncomfortable as the conversation shifted towards battle. “What are you two doing here?”

  
“Oh,” Sylvain scratched the back of his head, “we’re coming back from a battle, actually.” Linhardt noted the way his eyes darkened at Felix looked away.

  
“A battle?” Linhardt asked, frowning.

  
“I’m not sure you’d like to hear about it, we-“ Sylvain hesitated and Caspar urged him to continue.

  
Felix sighed, “We were fighting against an Empire unit, and-“ even the usually sharp tongued swordsman paused, “Bernadetta was leading the enemy force.”

  
Linhardt felt his heart drop.

  
“We watched as she was slain.” Both of the Kingdom generals couldn’t look away from their feet.

  
“W-What do you mean?” Caspar asked in disbelief, feeling a whole new wave of guilt and shock wash over him.

  
“We intended to let her escape, to convince her, but-“ Sylvain choked on his words, “she refused, and Dimi- the King gave us strict orders. I’m sorry, we had to prove our trust to him, we couldn’t get her to join so-“

  
Linhardt pulled Caspar away by the wrist, not speaking a word to people who he saw as his allies only months before. That night, he prayed for Bernadetta’s gentle soul.

* * *

  
The war was reaching a conclusion, or that was what Linhardt and Caspar had heard in the small towns they had stopped at. Perhaps soon they would know what it would be like to know peace, Linhardt considered as he sat beside Caspar, under the illuminating stars.

  
“How long do you think it will be until the war ends?” Caspar asked as he traced patterns on Linhardt’s palm. He sounded tired.

  
“I don’t know how much longer Fodlan can last, so I sincerely hope that either Rhea or Edelgard collapse in the next few days.” He turned to look at Caspar, whose eyes were glowing in the darkness. He leaned in, slotting his lips against the other, humming happily as Caspar kissed back, running his hands through his hair like he had grown so accustomed to doing. He still wasn’t entirely sure what their relationship could be defined as, and only felt his emotions intensifying in the few months they had travelled together. He felt Caspar rest one hand on his thigh.

“Caspar, what exactly is the nature of our relationship?” he asked as Caspar’s hand explored his waist.

  
Caspar seemed to consider Linhardt’s question for a moment as he kissed lower down his lover, revelling in how he shook beneath him. “We aren’t exactly dating...”

  
Linhardt struggled to process Caspar’s words as his mind was fogged over with pleasure as Caspar’s breath ghosted above him and his hands tried to tugged down at his trousers. He nodded anyway, silently asking Caspar to continue.

  
“I think we’re closer than that.” He tasted Linhardt on his tongue and drank in the sounds Linhardt made.

  
“R-Right,” Linhardt breathed out, grasping blue hair in his fist as Caspar tentatively licked him, pressing his hands on his thighs. “Why are we,” he paused, moaning as Linhardt let out an especially indecent ‘pop’, “d-doing this outside?”

  
Caspar grinned around Linhardt, “Because I’m unpredictable and you love it.” He was panting now too, and was reaching down to himself as he bathed in Linhardt’s moans.

  
“_Caspar, Caspar_,” Linhardt spoke his name like a prayer as he finished, with Caspar following suit, “_stay with me_.” He spoke when they had both calmed down, laying against the damp grass under the night sky.

  
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 


	4. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To Linhardt, Caspar was his escape.

“I’m refuse to wake up.” Linhardt mumbled sleepily, rolling over on the plush bed.

  
Caspar smiled, “You’ve gotta wash your hair, Lin!” he poked the other in the cheek, revelling in the small pout on Linhardt’s face, “And if I’m saying it, then it must be pretty bad!”

  
“Oh hush, you,” Linhardt cracked open one eyelid, “how was I supposed to predict that a bandit would throw some odd concoction into my hair? This is entirely not my fault,” he yawned, snuggling further into the bed as he closed his eyes again, “and therefore, I will _not_ deal with the consequences.”

  
Caspar sighed, leaning over his lover to get a better look at his face, amused at the way the odd substance was dripping down his forehead, “You don’t even know what that stuff is, why don’t we just wash it off?” He considered smelling the liquid, but decided that was a terrible idea, so did not act on that impulse.

  
“You should know better than anyone that I’ve had much more questionable substances on my face,” he opened his eyes again to admire the bright red blush adorning Caspar’s face, “you don’t seem to have any problems then, so what’s the issue now?”

  
“That’s completely different!” Caspar spluttered as Linhardt laughed, taking hold of Caspar’s hand to play with his fingers, stroking the rough callouses littering his palms.

  
“The point still stands that I’m not expending amy more of my energy.” Linhardt yawned, clutching Caspar’s hand close to his chest, “Goodnight.”

  
“No, no, _no_!” Caspar shook his head, now standing after having recovered from his embarrassment, “If I have to, I’ll just wash that hair of yours by myself!” He was determined now, and took the silence from Linhardt as a welcome to do exactly as he said. He placed one hand beneath the scholar’s head and the other under his knees, lifting his up in his arms, Linhardt nestled into Caspar’s neck and hummed contently.

  
“Gross,” Caspar frowned as the strange substance touched his neck, “I don’t get how you aren’t dying to get this stuff off you.”

  
“I’m sure I would be, if I wasn’t absolutely exhausted.” His eyes were still closed but he could picture the cute way Caspar's face was probably scrunched up. 

  
“Your always exhausted.” Caspar placed Linhardt down on a seat beside the tub in their room, easing Linhardt out of his heavy robes, letting the other step into the already filled tub.

  
“If you find it so disgusting, why don’t you just join me in the tub?” Linhardt asked easily as he lowered himself into the water, sighing as he felt the mystery liquid be washed away from his forehead. Caspar’s cheeks were dusted pink again, and Linhardt continued speaking with a gentle smile, “You get embarrassed at the smallest things, it’s quite cute, really.”

  
“I’m not cute!” Caspar demanded, undressing, despite his blushing face, as he steped into the tub, feeling his legs brush against Linhardt’s in the cramped space. “I’m manly.” He finished, as he tried to get comfortable, opting for spinning Linhardt around so he sat between his legs, smiling as he felt soft hair brush against his chest. “Hey, I’m going to wash your hair now, don’t fall asleep.” He began lathering soap into Linhardt’s scalp as the other hummed at the sensation of cool fingertips scratching his head.

  
“I could easily fall asleep here.” Linhardt slurred, resting his palms on Caspar’s knees.   
Caspar began running his fingers through the knots in his lover’s hair, “Sorry,” he apologised as the other hissed when he tugged slightly too hard on Linhardt’s hair. He punctuated his sentence with a small peck to Linhardt’s neck. Linhardt shivered as Caspar’s warm breath lingered on his neck. “I’m going to rinse your hair now.” Caspar spoke softly, dunking a bucket into the water and tilting it slightly to wash the soap out of Linhardt’s hair.

  
After Caspar had finished washing soapy suds out of his hair, Linhardt twisted around so he could peer into sky blue eyes, “Do you need help washing your own hair?”

  
“Are you offering?” Caspar chuckled as he let his fingers brush over the other’s cheek and chin.

  
“Well,” Linhardt yawned, one hand covering his mouth and the other holding Caspar’s hand on his face, “I am still _extremely_ tired, but I suppose I can do this one thing for you.”

  
Caspar grinned, turning around to reverse their sitting positions, sighing as he leaned against Linhardt’s slightly taller form, “You don’t have to wash my hair for me, you know. If you’re really tired you ca-“

  
Linhardt kissed a line down Caspar’s neck, effectively shutting the other up. He frowned, tasting the odd substance from Caspar’s neck, which tasted an awful lot like lemon and vinegar mixed together. “Your neck tastes like vinegar, Caspar.”

  
“Yeah, well, you know why! It was covering your hair a few minutes ago!” Caspar turned to look at Linhardt with an angry blush.

  
“I wonder why they threw vinegar at me. Perhaps the war has taken a toll on their resources, so they have to stoop as low as kitche-“

  
Linhardt mumbled to himself, before Caspar interrupted him, “_As I was saying_,” he began confidently, “you don’t have to wash my hair for me, you can go to sleep if you’re really tired.”

  
“No, I’m awake now after tasting that horrendous stuff.” He shook his head, palms tracing up Caspar’s sides, “Besides, I can’t exactly kiss you with _that_ covering your neck.” He began to sponge lightly at Caspar’s neck in slow, languid movements, humming at his work as Caspar’s neck was now cleaned. He massaged Caspar’s scalp, short, spiky strands growing limp with the moisture.

  
Caspar turned around, rotating so that he was now facing Linhardt with his hands resting on the other’s thighs. He raised one arm to rest his palm against Linhardt’s soft, wet cheek, as he leaned in to press a chaste kiss to his lover, sliding their lips together, “Thanks, Lin.”

  
Linhardt pulled Caspar in closer, one hand on his scarred back as he allowed Caspar’s tongue to explore his mouth, and he leaned back against the tub, sighing as Caspar switched his focus to his neck instead, pressing wet kisses to the already damp skin. “I should be thanking you, Caspar.” He said with a shaky breath, as Caspar’s fingers tangled into his clean hair, pulling lightly.

  
“Hm?” Caspar hummed as he let his tongue trail downwards, circling around Linhardt’s nipple.

  
“For sticking with me.” He shuddered as Caspar played with his chest, “_Caspar, must you tease me?”_

  
He heard Caspar chuckle as he drained the tub, pushing Linhardt up against the side where the wall reached, “Sorry, sorry.” He whispered into smooth skin, allowing his hand to reach down, drinking in the almost pained expression on Linhardt’s face. He held Linhardt in his palm, pumping him slowly, growing quicker in pace.

  
“_Caspar_,” Linhardt moaned, “_I want more_.” He nestled his nose into Caspar’s shoulder, panting deeply, before Caspar came to a sudden stop.

  
“What do you mean?” He looked into deep blue eyes, glazed over with lust.

  
“I think you know very well what I mean.” He spoke as he took Caspar’s hand into his own and guided it towards his ring of muscle.

  
Caspar’s face erupted into an even deeper blush as the realisation came over time, “L-Lin, are you sure?” he swallowed.

  
“Would I be asking if I wasn’t sure?” Linhardt’s eyes looked more determined now, and Caspar stole his lips into a deep kiss. He nodded his head, and hesitantly brushed his thumb around the rim of the hole. Linhardt breathed shakily into Caspar’s mouth, rocking his hips slightly. This gave Caspar more courage to press the tip of his thumb inside slightly, and Linhardt let out a low moan.

  
“Is this okay?” he whispered, stroking Linhardt’s back.

  
“Y-Yes, I want-“ Linhardt nodded, face flushed, before Caspar eased in more of his thumb, drawing out another whimper from the other. “It feels,” he grasped Caspar’s shoulder, “odd. It hurts a little, but-“ he moaned again, as Caspar grasped him into his hand and began to play with his tip again.

“_Caspar_-“ he spoke, fingernails digging into the skin under his hands.

  
“Y-Yeah?” Caspar asked, breathing heavily, chin resting on Linhardt’s shoulder.

  
“Move your fingers.” Caspar nodded, doing as instructed, feeling the other shake and moan beneath him. Linhardt’s own hand snaked around his own waist, holding him into his hand as he pumped him quickly, with no clear rhythm.

  
“Mm, Lin, that’s-“

  
“I w-want you inside, _please_” Linhardt panted as Caspar thrust his finger in, adding a second finger now.

  
Caspar looked at the man beneath him, wet hair spread out against the hard ceramic of the tub, a red blush vibrant against pale skin. And he wanted Caspar. “Lin, are you sure?” Caspar asked again, wanting complete willingness from his lover.

  
“_Please_-“ he whimpered again, taking Caspar into a desperate, sloppy kiss.

  
“Oh Goddess, Lin. You’re so gorgeous,” Caspar spoke against the others mouth as he angled himself to enter. He held Linhardt’s hands in his own, peppering gentle kisses to Linhardt’s forehead as he slowly pushed in. A guttural moan escaped Linhardt’s lips as he rolled his hips against Caspar’s.

  
“_Caspar, please_,” he begged again, as Caspar pulled out and pushed in again with more force this time, admiring the small noises Linhardt made as he moved.

  
“_Linhardt, I-_“ he breathed heavily into green hair as his thrusts sped up.

  
Linhardt wrapped his legs around Caspar’s waist, fingers entwined with Caspar’s tightening with each thrust. He writhed under Caspar, moaning as he felt a hot breath against his forehead, shaking with pleasure.  
“_Cas_, I’m close, I’m _so close_ now.” He panted as Caspar pushed in deeper, blushing darkly at the scandalous sounds filling their room. Caspar couldn’t find it in himself to care particularly.

  
“_So am I, Lin. I love you, I love you._” He murmured into hot skin as he lost his rhythm, frantically thrusting in and moaning each time. He could feel Linhardt clench around him, the other’s breath hitching before letting out a long drawled out moan. That alone had Caspar finishing inside Linhardt. He leaned atop Linhardt, holding him in a tight embrace as they both came down from their highs.

  
“Caspar,” Linhardt spoke, muffled by Caspar’s tough shoulder, or perhaps his exhaustion, “you’re crushing me.”

  
Caspar rolled over, so he sat beside Linhardt in the narrow tub, arms still encircling the other. “Did I tell you that I love you?” he spoke happily.

  
“I believe you told me that about two minutes ago.” Linhardt rested his head against Caspar’s shoulder, shivering slightly at the feeling of the now cold water dripping down in droplets from his wet hair.

  
Caspar hummed, rubbing circles into Linhardt’s back. “That was amazing.”

  
Linhardt nodded, “Yes, it was.” He frowned slightly at the dull ache he felt in his rear, “Though I don’t imagine I’m in any state to walk over to the bed.”

  
Caspar was glad to carry his lover back to their bed, as Linhardt drifted off in his arms.

* * *

  
Caspar was frowning intently at a bright pink flower, currently in bloom, as he sat beside a village child who was carrying a bunch of different types of flowers. Linhardt was busy healing a number of townsfolk who got caught up in one of the most recent battles between the Empire and Kingdom army, and having arrived shortly after the fight, he felt inclined to help. Caspar decided that the least he could do would be to get a gift for him. He knew better than to spend their slim finances on something like a present, so instead he focused on gathering a bunch of pretty flowers for Linhardt, noticing the lazy grin which always adorned his lover’s face as he lounged amongst nature.

  
“Hey, what do you think about this one?” he asked the child as he pointed at the vibrant pink flower.

  
“Hm,” the child, who reminded Caspar oddly of Cyril, scrutinised the flower before shaking his head, “I think we’ve got plenty of flowers just like it, don’t ya agree, mister?”

  
Caspar looked at the makeshift bouquet in the child’s hands, nodding then dusting down his trousers before standing up, taking the flowers from the boy. “Thanks for your help!” he spoke as he went back towards the small town.

  
“Not a problem, I’m sure your husband will love them!” The child grinned.

  
Caspar blushed at the thought of Linhardt being his husband, shaking the thought away as he found Linhardt laying down, eyes shut, in a small field beside the town.

  
“Hey,” he grinned, prodding his lover’s cheek with his finger, other had hiding the bouquet behind his back. Linhardt was roused awake, sleepily yawning as he looked up at Caspar, who was blocking the late-afternoon sun.

  
“Caspar,” he smiled, patting the spot next to him, welcoming the other to lay down beside him, “what’s that behind your back?” he asked, noticing how Caspar was laying on his side with one hand suspiciously resting behind his back in a position which looked extremely uncomfortable.

  
“Oh!” Caspar laughed sheepishly, scratching at the back of his neck, “I guess you’d notice I was holding something.” Linhardt hummed in amusement, urging the other to continue as Caspar sat up, looking over him. “I got you these!” He held out the bouquet to Linhardt, effectively blocking his face from the other’s view, instead replacing it with a beautiful selection of flora.

  
Linhardt reached up, taking the flowers into his hands and resting them against his chest so he could see Caspar better, “Well this is certainly romantic of you,” he held a white carnation between two fingertips, inhaling the sweet scent, “what’s the occasion?”

  
“Well,” Caspar began, feeling uncharacteristically flustered again, “I wanted to thank you for working so hard, I guess. I’ve kinda just been hanging around here, not being of much use...” he trailed off.

  
“Nonsense, I’m usually the one who hangs around while you protect a town from bandits,” he yawned before pulling Caspar down into a kiss, “and if I’m completely honest, I much prefer it that way.”

  
Caspar grinned, rolling onto his back to lay down beside Linhardt again. They rested in relative silence for a few moments after that, simply enjoying each other’s company, Caspar’s hand resting atop Linhardt’s.

  
“Oh,” Linhardt spoke after a few minutes, “I have some good news.”

  
“Yeah?” Caspar asked, turning onto his side, smiling at the novelty of the grass stuck in Linhardt’s hair, reaching over to pick some pieces out.

  
“Apparently the war is coming to an end, although,” he frowned, “it looks like Edelgard will be the victor. Dimitri was slain.”

  
Caspar wasn’t sure what exactly to say in response to that, as, even now, he wasn’t sure how to feel about the war. They’d both been gone for a few months, but the intensity and determination of Edelgard's will still lived on in Caspar’s mind; really, he shouldn’t be surprised at how the war was playing out. “Soon the violence will end.” He decided on saying.

  
“It’s been long enough.”

* * *

  
The war was over, and true to Linhardt’s word, Edelgard was victorious.

  
“Linhardt? Caspar?” a female voice called out to them, as they walked through the small town on the outskirts of the Monastery, where they first fled to months prior. They both turned, greeted with stark white hair curled on the sides of a head, and the sane piercing violet eyes of Edelgard, the Empress. “It really is you two, I’m glad you’re both safe.”

  
Linhardt noted that her voice sounded much softer, much _weaker_, than it did during the war- the threatening edge lost as she walked beside Byleth. She almost sounded sad.

  
“Don’t worry,” she held her hands up in a mock surrender in response to the clearly tense couple, “I harbour no ill will towards you both,” her eyes were downcast, “I wouldn’t dream of hurting any more of my friends.” Linhardt’s eyes narrowed slightly as she said ‘friends’, and even more when he registered that she was referring to the death of _Bernadetta_, and who knows what other of their classmates she allowed to die for her cause.

  
“Edelgard, Profe- Byleth.” Caspar acknowledged, squeezing Linhardt’s hand tightly.

  
“I’m happy that you’re both well.” Byleth spoke, voice still as monotone as ever, with their hair having returned to the blue shade it once was, no longer the (unnerving, in Caspar’s opinion) pale green.

  
“Can we help you?” Linhardt asked with a frown, peering at the pleading look in Edelgard’s eyes. He was beginning to comprehend the toll the war had taken on her too, despite how she desperately tried to cover it up during the fighting.

  
“_Oh_,” Edelgard shook her head, “no, I jut wanted to greet you both, it’s been so long, after al-“

  
“I think we’re both not one for formalities. What is it that you called us out here to say?” Linhardt cut her off, feeling safer with Caspar’s warm hand holding him.

  
Edelgard breathed out through her nose in amusement, gaze shifting down to the joint hands before her, and then back up to Linhardt’s blue eyes, “It seems like you’ve finally found something which you’re willing to fight for.” She remembered the way she called Linhardt a coward the day before he left, noticing a stark change in his once purposeless demeanour.

  
Linhardt found himself smiling at her words, squeezing Caspar’s hand tighter, “Am I no longer a coward then, _your Majesty_?” he mocked.

  
“I suppose not.” Edelgard laughed softly, and Linhardt found humanity in her eyes for the first time.

  
He looked down at how Edelgard too had her hands entwined with Byleth’s, “I think that we’ve both had someone to help us along the way.” He turned his head to let his gaze linger on Caspar, who looked utterly confused at the cryptid conversation ensuing, and he felt his heart flutter.

  
“We’ve been fighting bandits!” Caspar declared out of nowhere, feeling the tension from earlier dissipating as he lifted one fist into the air victoriously. Linhardt saw a smile gracing his old Professor’s face, and Edelgard’s eyes lit up in amusement, and then Linhardt truly believed that perhaps those two would make a better Fodlan, one without violence or pain; one where he and Caspar could live together peacefully.

* * *

  
Linhardt found it odd how he was the first to awake, feeling the warm rays of sunshine spread across his back through the narrow crack in the blinds. He gazed lovingly at Caspar’s peaceful slumbering form, admiring how much the other had grown. The once awkwardly short boy, filled with passion and excitement which flooded out of his small body, had grown into a handsome young man, energy still overflowing. Short spiky hair, once incredibly unfashionable, but endearing all the same, was now styled in a more mature way, and the boyish grin was now a safe, warm sanctuary. Linhardt remembered his childhood friend vividly, scratched knees and high-pitched giggles, almost shocked at how much he had changed. But instead, he smiled at how little Caspar had changed too. He was still Linhardt’s personal bodyguard, no longer fighting off unintimidating bullies, but instead fending off bandits. He was still Linhardt’s safety blanket, still a source of warmth and comfort, a perfect place to nap after a long day.

  
“Caspar,” Linhardt spoke softly, shaking his lover awake from his sleep, smiling as eyelids cracked open, revealing eyes like the sky.

  
Yes, Caspar was like the sky to Linhardt, he was a sky full of endless possibilities, endless adventures.

  
“Lin?” Caspar replied groggily as he gazed into darker navy orbs, rubbing one of his own eyes as he began to get up, “G’morning.” He grinned, reaching up to tuck a lock of long green hair behind his lover’s ear.

  
Caspar had always cared for him so tenderly, when the war was all too much for Linhardt to handle, and he caved in on himself, Caspar was the one who would pull him into a tight embrace, and run his fingers through silky hair, making Linhardt forget all about the problems in the world.

  
“Good morning, Caspar.” Linhardt placed his head on the plush pillow beside Caspar’s head, running his fingertips across the other’s cheek.

  
Caspar hummed, leaning into Linhardt’s touch, “I’ve been thinkin’” he spoke slowly, thoughts still plagued with sleep.

  
To Linhardt, Caspar was his lover, but his best friend first. He remained by his side for as long as they both knew each other, remembering a promise they both made when they were young, to never separate, no matter what. He felt a wave of happiness wash over him at the promise fulfilled.

  
“What is it?” Linhardt asked with a small yawn, tracing the line of Caspar’s jaw with his hand.

  
“Let’s leave Fodlan!” Caspar stated with excitement, feeling more awake than before.

  
“Mm,” Linhardt replied immediately, “okay.”

  
“Wait, _really_, you’ll leave with me?” Caspar asked hesitantly, slightly shocked at how easily Linhardt replied.

  
“Of course,” Linhardt leaned in, pressing a kiss to Caspar’s lips, “I’d go anywhere with you.” He replied lazily.

  
And he would, Linhardt couldn’t imagine a life without Caspar, after all the years they had spent together. Caspar had followed Linhardt for their whole life so far, and now it was Linhardt’s turn to follow. Fodlan, despite the rejuvenated state it was in under Edelgard’s control, was never home to Linhardt. Instead, bright blue hair and eyes, a cheerful grin and warm heart was home to him.

  
“I love you, Lin.” Caspar smiled into the other’s lips.

  
“I love you too, Caspar.”

  
To Linhardt, no matter the hardships he knew that would follow, or the struggles and exhaustion which were sure to face him on their next adventure, if Caspar was there standing beside him, he felt like he would be able to do anything. To him, Caspar was his everything.

  
To Linhardt, Caspar was his escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fin! 
> 
> thank you all for reading this fic, i had a load of fun writing it bc my boys deserve more love! 
> 
> im planning in writing more fluff (with no angst!) in my next fic for these two! 
> 
> comments and kudos always appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading! 
> 
> i love comments omg and would love to speak to anyone on tumblr @manateequeem 
> 
> ill see u in the next chapter :)


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